Houlihan’s entry in the Hellas Rally, running from May 25 (Prologue) to June 2, comes just four months after he was forced to withdraw from the Dakar Rally due to a serious shoulder injury sustained during stage five in Saudi Arabia.
Now, the Hellas Rally will serve as a crucial test of his recovery and readiness for a full return to elite rally competition.
The Albury-based rider had to pass a strenuous physical test before receiving FIM approval to compete.
“This will be the first real test for my shoulder after the injuries sustained at the Dakar Rally and I’m looking forward to getting through the race without any issues,” said Houlihan.
The Hellas Rally starts on Sunday with a short prologue and is then followed by seven days of racing through the mountains in North Evia, which includes rocky terrain and deep river crossings.
Houlihan will be in the unsupported Malle Moto class and riding his KTM 450 exc Baja race bike, which he used for the Baja World Cup rounds.
Hellas attracts entries from all over the world, and there will be approximately 250 bikes and 50 SSVs racing.
Houlihan used the 2018 Hellas Rally as the foundation of his Dakar dream, but the reality of international competition was soon realised when he was hit by a truck and put in hospital for three months with multiple injuries.
Instead of retiring, Houlihan used the crash as motivation and was back at Hellas the following year and then competed in a string of international events before making his Dakar debut in 2021 in Saudi Arabia.
“Hellas is a really symbolic event for me,” said Houlihan, who has had long-time personal support from Speedcafe.com.
“It was the first international rally I ever entered back in 2018 when I made the decision to chase the dream of racing at Dakar. That event was a tough lesson for me, but only made me more determined to realise my dream.
“Although Hellas is the largest race in Europe and one of the largest rallies held in the world, it’s not as hectic as Dakar. The days are so much shorter and I will have much more time to work on my bike and prepare for the following day.”
Fast forward to January 2025, Houlihan was competing in his third Dakar Rally, riding consistently in the top 70 overall and placing strongly in the Veteran category before a crash on a technical dune section left him with a dislocated and damaged shoulder.
“Pulling out of Dakar was devastating this year, but I also knew that if I wanted to come back stronger, I had to give the injury and recovery process the proper time,” he said.
“It has been a long few months and eventually the shoulder will probably need to be rebuilt, but we will keep pushing and see what we can do.”
Now, returning to the mountains and trails of Greece — where his international journey began — Houlihan sees the Hellas Rally as more than just a comeback. It’s a full-circle moment.
“This rally is personal,” he said.
“It’s where I proved to myself I could compete at the highest level. Now I need to prove that I can still be competitive after everything I’ve been through.”
Known for his relentless determination and privateer spirit, Houlihan has since carved out a notable and respected career.
Highlights include a heroic finish at the 2021 Dakar Rally while riding with broken ribs, and strong performances in the FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship, the Africa Eco Race and Rally Du Maroc.
Houlihan’s return is being supported by an extended team of personal sponsors who have been instrumental throughout his recovery, including Velcro and Speedcafe.com.
“I’ve had an amazing team behind me — especially my sponsors, who have stuck with me for the entire journey,” said Houlihan.
With entries for Dakar 2026 now open, the results and lessons from Hellas will help determine the road ahead.
“I’m here to push, to test my limits and to find out whether I’ve still got what it takes,” said Houlihan.
“This isn’t just a comeback. It’s the start of the next chapter.”
Discussion about this post